Ref No: 070322 (2)
UEN: S97SS0046G
In a joint media statement on 6 March 2022, the Building and Construction Authority, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Economic Development Board said there is scope to streamline the entry requirements for CMP workers as the Covid-19 situation improves.
Employers from the CMP sectors currently tap on two entry lanes to bring in workers, namely the industry-led end-to-end process, and the Work Pass Holder General Lanevia MOM. This arrangement has served the industry by maintaining a steady flow of workers even when travel restrictions were imposed.
Under the industry-led process, workers currently undergo a 7-day Covid-19 testing regime at specified onboarding facilities at source countries before departure for Singapore. On arrival, workers will be subject to the prevailing health protocols.
From 13 March 2022, this process will be streamlined into a shorter 2-day pre-departure preparatory programme (PDPP) in the source country. This is followed by a 3-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) and onboarding at the MOM’s onboard centres upon arrival in Singapore, which is the current requirement. For the application process, please refer to Annex A.
The PDPP will adopt the health protocols (e.g. pre-departure testing) developed under the industry-led initiative. It is also intended to be the main channel for new CMP WPHs going forward, and will enhance the resilience of the CMP sectors.
In the event a new variant of concern emerges, the CMP sectors would be able to tap on these established protocols to maintain inflow of workers to guard against manpower shortage concerns due to border measures.
PDPP will be available in Bangladesh, India and Myanmar from 13 March 2022. Eligible employers are encouraged to approach the approved providers to secure their slots early. For the list of PDPP providers, please refer to Annex B.